Hair curler

ABSTRACT

A hair curler includes a tubular body having a continuous spiral slit so that the body may be distorted from its original tubular shape by the application of a pulling force to create a gap formed by the spiral slit. Hair-anchoring means are disposed at the slit in such a manner as to be shielded when the body is in its original tubular form and to be exposed when the body is distorted therefrom.

United States Patent Inventor John P. Bonarigo 1401 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, Del. 19806 Appl. No. 847,333 Filed Aug. 4, 1969 Patented Mar. 2, 1971 HAIR CURLER 12 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 132/40 Int. Cl A45d 2/18 Field of Search 132/39, 40, 43, 44, 38

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,433,141 12/1947 McPherson 132/40 3,419,018 12/1968 Solomon 132/40 Primary Examiner-Russell R. Kinsey Assistant Examiner.l. N. Eskovitz Attorney-Connolly and Hutz PATEHTEI] MRI 2 IHYI HAIR CURLER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Various types of hair curlers are in existence incorporating devices of varying degree of sophistication as a means of anchoring the curlers in the hair. Such devices, however, frequently are both time consuming and tedious in application. There is, therefore, a need for a hair curler which lends itself to quick yet effective application for both home and professional use. Such a device should be easily applied without the necessity of bobbypins or other auxiliary means in order to firmly anchor the curler to the hair. As can be appreciated frequently when a curler is effectively anchored to the hair the same means which causes the effective anchoring has attendant therewith the disadvantage of being cumbersome or difficult to remove. Additionally, when curlers incorporate auxiliary devices as the anchoring means these auxiliary devices present size limitations which prevent very small curlers to be used. I

SUMMARY OF INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a hair curler which overcomes the above indicated, disadvantages.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a hair curler which can be easily anchored and removed by a simple manipulation thereof without the need for auxiliary devices such as bobbypins.

A still further object of this invention is to provide such a device which can be made in widely varying sizes.

In accordance with this invention the hair curler includes a tubular body having a continuous spiral slit to permit the. body to be distorted from its original tubular shape by the application of a pulling or stretching force which creates a gap formed by the spiral slit. Hair-anchoring means are disposed at the slit in such a manner as to be shielded or inaccessible when the body is in its original tubular form and as to be exposed when the body is distorted therefrom.

In an advantageous form of this invention the hair-anchor ing means are a plurality of slits radiating from the spiral slit. The radiating slits may be disposed on both sides of the spiral and arranged in pairs so as to effectively be anchored in the hair regardless of the direction of twist imparted to the curler body. The slits may be so designed as to be integral bobbypins.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view showing a plurality of curlers in various stages of use in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a curler in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the curler shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the curler shown in FIG. 2 in a different phase of operation;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the curler shown in FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 6-7 are enlarged views of the hair'anchoring slits in different phases of operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a plurality of curlers 10 in accordance with this invention at various stages of application to the hair 12 of a user 14. As more clearly shown in FIGS. 2-5 the curler 10 comprises a tubular body 16 having a continuous spiral slit 18 extending completely across the body from one end to another. The body is made of any suitable material which permits it to be distorted from its original tubular shape by the application of a pulling or stretching force thereto and urges the body to return to its original shape when the force is discontinued.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4-5 a plurality of hair anchoring means 20 are provided at spaced intervals along the slit 18. Hair anchoring means 20 are in the form of sets of slits which radiate from the spiral slit 18. The radiating slits of each set include a pair of slits 22, 24 which are disposed at for example angle 25 with respect to the spiral slit. Angle 25 is advantageously between about 20 and 40". If too shallow an angle is used the body will have a tendency to break at the slits. Conversely an angle which approaches will not be as effective in its anchoring ability. A second pair of slits 26, 28 are also provided with all of the slits 22, .24, 26, 28 diverging from a common point. With these two pairs of slits anchoring is assured regardless of the direction of rotation imparted to to curler 10.

FIGS. 6-7 are enlarged views of one of the slits 26. As indicated therein the slit includes a straight side 32 and an undulated side 34 so as to form a mouth or opening 36 which communicates with gap 30. (If desired side 32 may also be undulated.) When body 16 is made of a suitable resilient material a resilient tongue or flap 38 between 'slit 26 and gap 30 is created so as to act, in effect, as an integral bobbypin. In this respect when the root of the hair is worked into slit 26, as later described, flap 38 is forced open as shown in FIG. 7 and because of its resiliency is also urged to its closed position of FIG. 6 so as to be effectively anchored to the hair much the same as a bobbypin.

The operation of curler 10 is as follows:

As shown in FIG. 1 hair 12 is wrapped around curler 10 (position A) and the curler is rolled (position B) in the conventional manner until the curler is adjacent the roots. Curler 10 is then distorted from its original shape by imparting a slight stretching or pulling on its ends. This reduces the diameter of and extends the length of body 16 while causing a gap 30 to be created at the spiral slit with the hair then freely entering the gap (position C). When in this distorted position, curler 10 is twisted or rotated slightly toward the scalp so as to be worked into the roots. The rootsare then automatically forced into one set of the bobby pin-like slits 22, 24 or 26, 28. Roller or curler 10 is then released and since the distorting force is then discontinued from curler 10, the body 16 returns toward its original shape. In this manner the hair becomes firmly anchored in the slits 20 which had been exposed by the gap 30. Since the sets of slits are mirror images of each other the anchoring is assured regardless of the direction of twisting or rotation of body 16. Curler 10 is thus firmly anchored in place without the need of auxiliary devices such as separate bobbypins.

To remove curler 10 the above described procedure is simply reversed wherein the ends of curler 10 are pulled and the curler is twisted to again expose slits 22, 24, 26, 28 and permit the hair to be released from the slits into gap 30. The pulling force on curler 10 is discontinued and with the hair also released it is possible to easily remove curler 10 with minimum effort.

The concepts of this invention may be applied to any suitable conventional curler constructions. Such construction may for example include perforations in the body to permit ventilation thereof. Any suitable material may be used which permits the body to be distorted and then returned to its original shape upon release of its distortion force. Since the curler is of simple one-piece construction it can be made in sizes or diameters ranging from the very small to the very large in accordance with the dictates of the particular hair style.

' Iclaim:

l. A hair curler comprising a tubular body, a continuous spiral slit in said body whereby said body may be distorted from its original tubular form by the application of a twisting force thereto with a gap being formed by said spiral slit when said body is distorted from its original tubular form, said body being made of a material which urges said body to return to its original tubular form, and hair anchoring means disposed on said body at said slit, said anchoring means being shielded when said body is in its original tubular form and being exposed when said body is distorted from its original tubular form and said gap is created.

2. A hair curler as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hair anchoring means includes a plurality of slits radiating from and transverse to said spiral slit.

3. A hair curler as set forth in claim 2 wherein said radiating slits are disposed on both sides of said spiral slit.

4. A hair curler as set forth in claim 3 wherein said spiral slit extends completely across said body from one end of said body to the other end thereof.

5. A hair curler as set forth in claim 4 wherein said radiating slits are arranged in sets, each set including a plurality of radiating slits.

6. A hair curler as set forth in claim 5 wherein said radiating slits in each set diverge from a common point.

7. A hair curler as set forth in claim 6 wherein each set includes a pair of slits disposed at an angle to said spiral slit.

8. A hair curler as set forth in claim 7 wherein the slits of said pair are disposed at the same angle with respect to said spiral slit.

9. A hair curler as set forth in claim 8 wherein each set includes a second pair of radiating slits which are the mirror image of the first pair of radiating slits.

10. A hair curler as set forth in claim 9 wherein each as said radiating slits is disposed at an angle between about 20 and 40 with respect to said spiral slit.

1 l. A hair curler as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said radiating slits forms an integral bobby pinlike slit with respect to said body.

12. A hair curler as set forth in claim 11 wherein at least one of the sides forming each of said radiating slits is undulated.

(H010 bus 

1. A hair curler cOmprising a tubular body, a continuous spiral slit in said body whereby said body may be distorted from its original tubular form by the application of a twisting force thereto with a gap being formed by said spiral slit when said body is distorted from its original tubular form, said body being made of a material which urges said body to return to its original tubular form, and hair anchoring means disposed on said body at said slit, said anchoring means being shielded when said body is in its original tubular form and being exposed when said body is distorted from its original tubular form and said gap is created.
 2. A hair curler as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hair anchoring means includes a plurality of slits radiating from and transverse to said spiral slit.
 3. A hair curler as set forth in claim 2 wherein said radiating slits are disposed on both sides of said spiral slit.
 4. A hair curler as set forth in claim 3 wherein said spiral slit extends completely across said body from one end of said body to the other end thereof.
 5. A hair curler as set forth in claim 4 wherein said radiating slits are arranged in sets, each set including a plurality of radiating slits.
 6. A hair curler as set forth in claim 5 wherein said radiating slits in each set diverge from a common point.
 7. A hair curler as set forth in claim 6 wherein each set includes a pair of slits disposed at an angle to said spiral slit.
 8. A hair curler as set forth in claim 7 wherein the slits of said pair are disposed at the same angle with respect to said spiral slit.
 9. A hair curler as set forth in claim 8 wherein each set includes a second pair of radiating slits which are the mirror image of the first pair of radiating slits.
 10. A hair curler as set forth in claim 9 wherein each as said radiating slits is disposed at an angle between about 20* and 40* with respect to said spiral slit.
 11. A hair curler as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said radiating slits forms an integral bobby pinlike slit with respect to said body.
 12. A hair curler as set forth in claim 11 wherein at least one of the sides forming each of said radiating slits is undulated. 